Workout of the Day

Nov 06

You May Not Like What Your Workout Partner Has to Say

On Monday, students were met with the opportunity to put their training to the test with a benchmark strength workout: the CrossFit Total. With three attempts at a one rep max in three different exercises (the back squat, the strict press, and the deadlift), students had the chance to approach the bar nine times in search of honest feedback. This can perhaps be the most intimidating day of training and testing that ever comes up, not because it is particularly “hard” or because big weights are scary, but because honest feedback can be a big pill to swallow.

Of course, our hope on these days is for each student to walk away with a personal record or two. Performance is our unwavering goal, and we aim to see it trending up rather than staying the same or going down. But this goal is secondary to the feedback that a day like this provides. Perhaps the feedback is positive: you hit personal records, and can walk away with a reaffirmation of your confidence in the process. Or perhaps the feedback is negative: you miss weights that you believe you should make, or your progress has stalled. While the personal record feels good, the negative feedback can be just as, if not more valuable. It is your chance to check in on a given day and ask “why?” Perhaps the answer is as simple as being a bit tired, undernourished, or in a funk on this particular day. Perhaps it’s something more significant -- a change in habits, inconsistency, or dysfunction.

The pivotal piece -- and part of why a day like this one is both so valuable and so intimidating -- is the honesty of the feedback. You may not like what your metaphorical workout partner has to say, but that doesn’t make it any less true. Any attempt to run or hide from the feedback of the barbell is a futile attempt in excusing yourself from reality.